"Got a minute?"

"Yeah, of course." Tony set his tablet aside and looked at Nick, curiously. He didn't miss the fact that the SHIELD director was holding Nutmeg. "Do I need to send out a search party for something he stole of yours?"

Fury shook his head, but his lone eye was amused by the question.

"No." He sat down and Nutmeg hopped down to walk over to the dog bed where Ironpig was napping, dressed warmly in a turquoise sweater. "We have a bit of a situation and I wanted to make sure that you're aware of it."

The billionaire frowned, catching the serious tone.

"What's up?"

"I'm going to send Romanoff to Columbia tomorrow morning."

"The university?"

"The country."

"Alone?"

"No." Fury shrugged. "It isn't a serious mission," he said. "But Romanoff is the best choice since she's the one that the Columbians are most afraid of. I'll send Rogers and Barton as backup – and Barnes."

A raised eyebrow.

"Really? Is that wise?"

"It's a good first mission for him. We'll have a chance to see how he handles things – and if it's something that he wants to do."

"Huh." He knew that they had begun integrating Barnes into their trainings – and the man had come through when things had gotten odd at the international decathlon, so Tony was all for it – even if none of them had asked his opinion. "How long will they be gone?"

"A couple of days."

"You don't need me?"

"No. It isn't anything that should require the firepower you can bring to bear." He shrugged, again. "But I thought you might want to warn Peter – in case he finds out some other way and worries that something is going on that's more serious."

"Oh." That was a good point. There was no doubt that Peter would know something was going on – the Mind stone would almost certainly give him a heads-up, after all – and he didn't want Peter to stress while he was on his safari with his friends. "Thanks."

"You'll call him?"

"Yes. It early evening there, so I'll check in with him sometime around dinner – unless he calls, first."

Nick nodded.

"Just let him know that it isn't dangerous. Romanoff needs to talk to some folks and the others are going to go to make sure nothing goes wrong."

It was clear that Nick was taking Peter's concerns (real or perceived) seriously. As well he should, really, Tony knew, since Peter had the potential to find himself thinking about being somewhere in the middle of the night and then suddenly being there. Probably at the worst possible time. Tony appreciated that.

"I will, Nick. Thanks."

"Anytime. Let me know if anything comes up."

Meaning if Peter looked worried when Tony spoke to him.

"Of course."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Dinner was fun. The kids weren't picky eaters for the most part and the guides were good cooks. Not the super fancy restaurant quality kind, but more than capable of the hearty camping type meals that were so satisfying after a busy day of looking around and enjoying themselves. Since it was getting dark by the time they were done eating, the fire was lit – for light and for warmth against the upcoming chill of the night. The guides cleaned up the meal and Ned challenged MJ to a game of chess.

"Want to play winner?" he asked Peter, who had just come out of their shared tent, putting his phone back in his pocket. He was now sporting a sweatshirt over the long-sleeved shirt he'd been wearing, earlier. "I'll beat her quickly so you don't have to wait too long."

MJ rolled her eyes at the show of confidence, but Peter gave a slightly distracted smile and shook his head.

"I thought I'd go for a walk," he told them. He looked at Shuri. "Want to come?"

She smiled.

"Of course."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Ned said, slyly, making Shuri's smile widen and MJ roll her eyes, again.

Peter blushed despite himself, but it wasn't noticeable in the growing darkness.

"They might as well just sit here by the fire if they're limited to just what you would do," MJ told him.

Ned sputtered a protest but Shuri giggled and caught Peter's hand, pulling him away from the conversation before he could get distracted from the promised walk – which also meant time alone with just her. Something that they didn't really get that much of, even on the safari.

"Did you talk to Tony and Pepper?" she asked as they moved away from the campfire and toward a rocky outcropping.

They all knew the range of the shield that protected them from any predators getting too close, and there was a faint glow to remind them if they forgot. Not that the shield would shock them, or anything; it was designed to keep animals out, not people in, but the rule was that no one leaves the protection of the shield without permission. It was a good way to make sure none of their charges wandered off and got into any dangerous situations. Peter suspected (as did the other teens) that it was also a good way to make sure none of them snuck away for any serious shenanigans, as Tony liked to call it.

Which was fine. He had no intention of doing anything that would put Shuri's honor in question, after all, even if it was – sometimes – tempting.

"I did," he confirmed, putting his hand in the pocket of his sweatshirt – and incidentally putting hers in there, as well, since he was still holding it. It brought her a little closer to him and also made sure her hand didn't get cold, right? "Tony told me that some of the others are going on a mission, tomorrow."

"A mission? Truly?"

That was exciting.

"Yeah. To South America."

"Will Tony be going, as well?"

"No. Tony said it isn't anything serious, and that Nick would just let Natasha go alone since it's just to go talk to some people, I guess, but he wants to see how Bucky does on a real mission so he's sending him, too."

She knew about Barnes and some of his past history, but not all of it. Enough to know that he was thinking about being an Avenger, too.

"That makes sense."

"Yeah. Steve and Clint are going, too. To help fly the jet."

"You sound concerned."

"I'm not." He shrugged. "Well, maybe a little. It's a mission, after all, and I worry when they go…"

"It is what they train for."

"I know. But it's scary, sometimes."

All the time. Peter was happy. He knew it was dumb – especially after everything that had happened to him the last year or so – but he always held that tiny piece of fear in his mind that something was going to happen to bring his happiness tumbling down around him.

"If it were dangerous, they would have Tony go, as well," she pointed out, squeezing his hand and resting the back of hers against his stomach, through the layers of cloth. "If they do not need Ironman, then it is nothing too serious. Like Tony said."

"I know."

"Not to mention you have a wish that is going to keep Tony happy," Alec pointed out, proving he was there but was trying to give Peter what privacy that he could to enjoy his quiet time with Shuri. "Tony isn't going to be happy if something happened to any of them."

"True."

"Then do not worry, my love," Shuri told him, unaware of the quiet conversation going on inside Peter's mind. "They are the Avengers. Natasha will look at them and scowl, and they will all run away."

He smiled.

"True."

"Unless, of course, some of them are women," she added, with a smile. "Then they will take one look at Steve and come running back."

Peter rolled his eyes, but he had to agree. Her cheerful confidence was enough to make his own concerns fade, and he was able to smile.

"Bucky's not bad looking, either," he pointed out.

"He is delicious," she agreed, feigning far more interest in the man than she really had. It made Peter grin, after all, and she could feel him relax, further, beside him. "Muscles and so tanned. And when he got the new haircut. I could-"

"Hey! That's not what boyfriends like to hear…"

Shuri chuckled, pulling Peter over to a perfect rock that allowed them to sit down.

"Do not worry," she told him, leaning against him to steal a kiss against his jaw, well aware that she had to kiss him, first, because he would dither about it all. "I prefer my men scrawny and pale."

He smiled, putting his arms around her.

"Thanks. I think."